The Stories Behind the Biggest Stars of March Madness

University of Connecticut (UConn)

Azzi Fudd was born into basketball – both of her parents played in college and professionally, and she was named in honor of Jennifer Azzi, the Stanford legend and Olympic gold medalist. She arrived at UConn as the No. 1 recruit in the nation in the 2021 class. Her early career was met with major injuries but defined by her talent. A torn ACL and MCL in high school in 2019 was followed by a foot injury that cost her 11 games as a freshman, a knee injury that sidelined her for 22 games as a sophomore, and she missed almost her entire junior season with a torn ACL and medial meniscus injury in 2024.

Fudd has come back to the team stronger than ever. Last season, she played a career-high 34 games, won a national championship with UConn, and was named Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four. Heading into March Madness, Fudd has spoken openly about wanting to play with more confidence and passion, embracing who she is and soaking in every moment of her final year. She’s leading an undefeated UConn squad – the number one overall seed looking to defend their national title.

University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)

Growing up, Lauren Betts' height didn't always feel like an asset. She was mocked and bullied by her peers over her height and appearance. But on the basketball court, she found a space where she could feel free and confident in who she was. She arrived in college as the No. 1 recruit in the country and a two-time Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year, carrying high expectations. But her freshman year didn't go as hoped. She didn't fit the playing system, worried she wasn't good enough, and the entire experience fell short of what she had imagined. She transferred to UCLA looking for a fresh start.

While she was excited about the move, her sophomore year brought new struggles. She found herself fixating on mistakes and dealing with depression. She began therapy and taking medication, and faced anxiety and sleepless nights before eventually being hospitalized for her mental health. After an 18-day absence from basketball, she returned with a renewed commitment to herself and a determination to let go of the unfair expectations she had placed on her own shoulders – and was welcomed back with open arms by teammates. The Bruins made it to the Sweet Sixteen that season. As a junior, she returned again, playing free and with joy, leading UCLA to a No. 1 overall seed and a run to the Final Four. This year, with her sister now by her side as a fellow Bruin, UCLA enters March Madness as a No. 1 seed again — and Betts heads in as one of the most compelling figures in the tournament.

University of Texas

When Rori Harmon was being recruited, she decided to stay in her home state – choosing between Baylor, the state's three-time title-winning program, and Texas, the prestigious program that hadn't reached a Final Four in decades. She chose the Longhorns, and immediately made an impact – leading Texas to its first Big 12 tournament title in 2022 and, in 2023, its first share of a regular-season title since the 2003 championship team.

Her junior year was set to be another breakout season. Through 12 games, she led the country in assist-to-turnover ratio and was a national player of the year contender. After an upset win over UConn, Geno Auriemma called her the best player his team had faced all season. Then, during a shootaround ahead of a non-conference game in December 2023, she tore the ACL in her right knee. She approached her rehab relentlessly, coming into the training facility multiple times a day, every day, for ten months until she worked her way back. The determination paid off. Last season, she led Texas to its first Final Four since 2003, cutting down her first Elite Eight net after having been bounced in the regional final twice before. Now in her fifth year, Harmon and the Longhorns enter March Madness as a No. 1 seed with their sights set on going even further.

University of South Carolina

Joyce Edwards was introduced to basketball at age four by her father, Charlie, who became her first coach and biggest influence. An avid women's basketball fan, he modeled her game after players he admired – Candace Parker, Maya Moore, Chamique Holdsclaw, and later A'ja Wilson. When Edwards was nine, her family moved to Camden, South Carolina, and she quickly fell into the orbit of the program she would one day play for, attending Dawn Staley's basketball camps and Gamecocks games, where she worked as a mop girl on the court. Off the court, she excelled just as much in the classroom, going through middle school and high school without ever receiving a B on a report card.

She arrived at South Carolina as the highest-ranked recruit the program had signed since A'ja Wilson. As a freshman, she threw herself into the work – putting in extra time before and after practice, continuing to train with her father, and pushing herself to grow more comfortable and confident on the court. Her sophomore year brought a recalibration. Edwards experienced a period of burnout after the training intensity of her freshman season, and she took Staley's advice to focus on recovery and protecting her body over the long haul of a college season. The adjustment has paid off, and Edwards now heads into March Madness as a key piece of a South Carolina team, entering the tournament as a No. 1 seed.

Texas Christian University (TCU)

Olivia Miles arrived at Notre Dame as one of the top recruits in the country and the first recruit signed by head coach Niele Ivey. In her first season, she became the first freshman in NCAA history, men's or women's, to record a triple-double in the March Madness tournament. Then, in February 2023, she tore her ACL in a road game at Louisville – ending her season and keeping her off the court for 617 days. When she returned, she did so in historic fashion again, becoming the only player in NCAA history – men's or women's – to record a 20-point triple-double in their first game back from a yearlong absence, doing so with a new confidence and improved three-point shooting.

She spent much of last season weighing the WNBA draft, but an ankle injury during March Madness left her feeling unlike herself, and after conversations with those closest to her, she decided to step back and think about what was best for her. She ultimately chose to forgo the draft and use her final season of eligibility at TCU – a program where she had a prior connection, having been recruited to Oregon in high school by now-TCU coach Mark Campbell. The decision, she has said, was about being selfish in her career one time – finding a place where she could showcase her abilities, show herself some love, and simply have fun playing basketball. Miles and the third-seeded Horned Frogs head into March Madness with one more goal in mind: advancing past the Sweet 16 for the first time in her career.

Louisiana State University (LSU)

Flau'jae Johnson has always operated on two stages. The daughter of rapper Camoflauge, who passed away before she was born, she grew up writing raps with her uncles and performing at events around Georgia. At 14, she reached the quarterfinals of America's Got Talent with an original anti-gun violence anthem. Years later she competed on an all-star edition of the show, which led to her signing with Jay-Z's Roc Nation, a breakout album, and a string of high-profile collaborations. On the court, she was just as driven – up at 5 AM for hundreds of shots before school, she finished her high school career as the all-time leading scorer and had her number retired. She announced her commitment to LSU by dropping a music video.

Coach Kim Mulkey embraced both sides of Johnson’s interests, even taking her to LSU’s music studios during the recruiting visit. The first McDonald’s All-American that Mulkey recruited to the Tigers, Johnson contributed quickly, winning a national championship as a freshman in 2023. As teammates graduated, transferred, and departed for the WNBA, Johnson stayed – becoming the anchor of the program. When she was eligible to declare for the draft as a junior, she chose to return. "I'm loyal to the soil," she said. Now a senior, she heads into March Madness as LSU's leader, determined to bring another championship back to Baton Rouge.

Iowa State University

Audi Crooks and her father Jimmie bonded over music and faith as much as basketball. After church, she'd stay to play piano with him, eventually picking up many other instruments like guitar, drums, bass, and trumpet. When she was 16, her father passed away in August 2021. The loss changed her world, and she questioned if she would continue playing basketball because it was so rooted in him. Now, she carries him with her: the word "Pops," connected to angel wings, is tattooed on her right wrist, and she wears No. 55, the number both of her parents wore. "I'm right-handed," she said. "So every basket that I shoot, he's with me."

Crooks committed to Iowa State after winning her first state championship as a junior in high school, and has continued to make history since. As a freshman, she scored 40 points in a single NCAA tournament game, the most by any freshman in tournament history. Now a junior, she is averaging 25.5 points per game, second-highest in the country, has scored 30 or more points eight times this season and topped 40 on four occasions, and sits second on Iowa State's all-time scoring list. Her dominance has drawn criticism alongside the praise – some questioning her body, her conditioning, her defense. She doesn't flinch. "Being strong is something that I'm proud of. Being big is something that I'm proud of," she said. Although Iowa State made an early exit as an eight seed, Crooks finished the game with 37 points, shooting 17-of-25 from the field.

Vanderbilt University

Mikayla Blakes had a relatively late arrival to basketball. Growing up, the sport felt like it belonged to the guys – her earliest models were the men who played with her father and her brother. She competed in dance and track before she met Diamond Miller, who would go on to star at Maryland and in the WNBA. Miller gave her a firsthand look at what the women's game could be. Blakes wasn't a natural at first — uncoordinated, losing the ball in traffic, missing easy shots — but she was a perfectionist, and she worked to improve. Early morning gym sessions and regular workouts with her brother Jaylen, who played at Duke and Stanford, shaped her into the state's Gatorade Player of the Year, earning spots in the McDonald's All American, Jordan Brand Classic, and Nike Hoop Summit all-star games as the No. 8 recruit in the country.

Blakes chose Vanderbilt over bigger programs, drawn to its academics and the chance to help build something from the ground up. As a freshman, she set the NCAA single-game scoring record for a freshman with 53 points against Florida. This season she leads the entire country in scoring at 27.7 points per game, and capped her regular season with a win over LSU that was the program's first victory over a top-five opponent since 2009. The second-seeded Commodores head into March Madness with Blakes leading the charge.